1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



365 



them the strength to stand up against the blasts 

 of wind and rain while ripening. It is this sub- 

 stance that gives bamboos their strength, and 

 beards of grain and blades of grass their cutting 

 sharpness. No cereal ever came to perfection in 

 a soil devoid of potash, silica, phosphate of lime, 

 carbonic acid and nitrogen. — Maine Farmer. 



For the New England Farmer. 



VALUE OP HUT A. BAG A— THE ONIOM" 

 CHOP AND THE MAGGOT. 



Mr. Editor : — A correspondent in your pa- 

 per of the 11th of June says that he has raised 

 ruta bagas until he is satisBed "that they are not 

 worth the trouble of raising." This is truly a 

 sweeping condemnation of a root, which is con- 

 sidered the most important one raised in Great 

 Britain, the failure of which for a single year in 

 that country, would, according to a very high 

 authority, be a greater calamity than the failure 

 of the Bank of England, I would suggest with 

 all due respect, whether such an article should 

 find a place in an agricultural newspaper, with- 

 out a simultaneous comment from the editor ; a 

 word of caution, at least, to the unreflecting. We 

 all know that many believe, and are influenced 

 in their belief, by any statement they see in print. 

 Ink in the form of type is gospel to many read- 

 ers. I should like to have had you say, "The re- 

 marks of our valued correspondent on the subject 

 «f ruta bagas are startling and novel ; they con- 

 flict with the experience of half a century, and 

 with the recorded wisdom of our most scientific 

 agriculturists. We should like to have our cor- 

 respondent furnish us with the data which has 

 led him to the conclusion that this "root is not 

 worth raising." 



Your esteemed correspondent, J. W. Proctor, 

 in the same paper, in speaking of the maggot in 

 onions, says that no method has yet come to his 

 knowledge of checking its progress. Now there 

 are some secrets in agriculture as well as in trade ; 

 and perhaps it may be that some growers are suc- 

 cessful) because they have discovered, but have not 

 divulged the reasons for their success — they may 

 not be aware themselves, why it is that they do 

 succeed. Permit me to off"er a remedy ; it will 

 do no harm to try it. Soak the onion seed for 

 thirty-six hours before sowing, in strong soap 

 suds, and I do not believe a single maggot will 

 be found in the plants. It is not too late to try 

 the experiment the present season, though too 

 late to plant for a crop. I do not speak positive- 

 ly ; at the same time, if I had ten acres of land 

 ready for onions, I should plant the whole of it, 

 without fear of the maggot, soaking the seed as 

 I have suggested. Essex Co. 



Remarks. — We adopt, with pleasure, the lan- 

 guage suggested by our correspondent. AVe of- 

 ten refrain from remarks upon the articles of our 

 friends, because we do not wish to present the 

 appearance, even, of being an infallible teacher. 

 We stand in doubt, every day, in regard to some 

 things, and earnestly desire not to be over-posi- 

 tive in any assertion. But that ruta bagas can 

 be raised with permanent advantage to most of 

 our farmers, we have no doubt. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



EFFECTS OF FROST. 



After the last frost, June 5th, I observed that 

 a row of corn next my wheat piece, and parallel 

 with the same, was completely killed, while 

 other portions of the field, even near the water, 

 were hardly damaged. Can you explain why 

 this is so ? N. Dearborn. 



Deerjield, Me., June 11, 1859. 



PiEMARKS. — The water, near the corn, having 

 stored up heat from the sun's rays during the 

 day, was warmer than the atmosphere. The 

 warm evaporations from the water were probably 

 carried over the corn plants, and kept the tem- 

 perature just above the freezing point. ,We 

 have observed this result several times during 

 the present month, on the banks of a stream. 

 Near the stream and on the low grounds, there 

 was a mist or fog and no frost, while on contig- 

 uous land, a little higher, vegetation was frost- 

 bitten. 



CROPS IN MAINE. 



The weather here has been warm and delight- 

 ful since the first of May ; grass and grain look 

 extremely well, just rain enough to suit all round, 

 and but four cloudy days in the last six weeks. 

 The farmers have got in a very large quantity of 

 oats, potatoes, barley and other spring crops, 

 which are all up finely. I have corn up and as 

 forward as I used to have it in Massachusetts. 

 This is truly a fine grazing country, this is a good 

 country for farmers of all classes, either rich or 

 poor, soil cheap and productive, climate healthy, 

 water the best in the world, timber cheap, and 

 everything to make home pleasant and happy. 

 The pastures are dotted with cattle, sheep and 

 horses, the fields and meadows with waving 

 grain, and the woods with evergreens, and the 

 lakes with trout, red sides and blue backs. 



Rajigeley, Me., June, 1859. J. Crowlet. 



CULTURE OF THE FRENCH TURNIP. 



I am in want of some fertilizer for French tur- 

 nips. Which shall I use, guano, superphosphate, 

 or poudrette? How much to the acre to produce 

 a good crop by sowing it broadcast ; and also, 

 whose make ? Where I use a machine for sow- 

 ing the seed, must the land be plowed, cultiva- 

 ted or harrowed in order to get the manure near 

 the roots ? I find when the manure is near the 

 surface they are apt to be spongy and ugly shaped 

 things. ' S. Denham. 



South Hanson, June 4, 1859. 



Remarks. — After a liberal dressing of barn- 

 manure well mixed with the soil, we have found 

 good superphosphate of lime, 300 to 500 pounds 

 per acre, more advantageous than anything else 

 for a turnip crop. Prof. Mapss manufactures a 

 good article, so does Coe, and perhaps others. 

 The land should be well pulverized and the seed 

 sowed on ridges of eight or ten inches in height, 

 — but that must depend upon the nature of the 

 soil. 



